Baked Jalapeno and Tobasco Chicken Wings: Never knew that the baked wings could be soft with the flesh coming off the bones so easily! But it seemed that the wings are dipped in tangy spices rather than getting imbibed in them. The texture is good, the flavour is average considering the presence of Tobasco sauce.

Chicken Lollies with beer dip: Again the texture if wonderful – soft insides and slightly chewy & crispy exterior. But again the flavour – the dips served were far too less in the quantity.

Italian Pizza: Thin crust with the optimum amount of cheese which is also of good quality is difficult to find these days. Add to it the lovely combination of tangy jalapenos and firm pepperoni which compliment each other so well – you will have a hard time letting go of the last bite. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Tomato, corn and roasted vegetables in spinach Lasagna sheets: The story about good quality cheese did not end with pizza, it had a second part in the mouth gasmic lasagne as well. The grilled French beans, bell peppers, sweet corn and tomatoes neatly enveloped in thin lasagne sheets and cheese on a bed of a rich red sauce is surely breath taking. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Sookha Mutton with Appam: Those who have tasted or are even aware of how Appams are will be highly disappointed with this dish. Appams are bowl shaped with minimal thickness whereas these resembled pancakes. The mutton was cooked well and had a lovely tenderness to it, but the presence of so many spices will overwhelm you.

Grilled sole with butter roast garlic and spicy vegetables: My favourite ensemble of all the time – grilled steak with mashed potatoes and vegetables in a heavenly sauce was perfectly replicated here. The sole has a light crustiness to it and the vegetables are juicy to the core. But the lemon butter garlic sauce is seductive! The presence of chopped garlic is so scintillating! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Home made Paan ice cream: Perfect ending to a perfect day. The ice cream has the right consistency and you actually feel like you are relishing Paan. The presence of organic Gulkand ups the game. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

So I finally visit this junkyard themed cafe in the prime location behind Select City Walk.
This place is specifically meant for those groovy weekends where you can come with your mates and relax with more than a glass of alcohol while listening to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s chartbusters in the genre of Rock n Roll, R&B, metal and rock.

The ambience does remind you of a typical junkyard but wait till you get your cutlery. The other end of the forks, knives and spoons are shaped in the form of a screwdriver. That is one hell of creativity!

Moving on to food, surprisingly the dishes are innovative and flavourful. Usually such places are more famous for drinks than for food but hey, surprise surprise!

Chicken kothe dimsums: The very subtle mixture of minced chicken and onion enveloped in a thin dimsums covering which is pan seared at base will leave you in splits but a slight off taste of lemongrass might be a hindrance. RECOMMENDED

Tandoori wasabi prawns: The prawns are fresh and for the first time, I tasted creamy tandoori prawns. I could have never imagined the combination of prawns and wasabi working so well but surprisingly, here it did. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Chicken and mushrooms lasagna: Ahhhh, lasagna after so long. The silky lasagna sheets drenched in a well balanced sauce of tomatoes, black pepper and cheese with finely minced chicken and mushroom chunks added for extra zing. Trust me when I say that this one particularly is addictive. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Pan seared fish with fresh basil cream: Well grilled fish fillets topped with a very unusual but appetite sauce is a foodie’s dream come true. Specially when the foodie in question is a fitness freak and counts calories to the brim. RECOMMENDED

Novel ideas shall always be welcome and when western cooking techniques are applied to Indian dishes, you are bound to get surprised.
Firangi Bake, a delivery outlet situated at a host of location in Delhi NCR is one store that you should explore. Trust us, you are bound to get flabbergasted.
Tandoori Kukkad Pot Rice: Rice, chicken and spices baked to perfection under a thick layer of cheese? Well yes, please! But the quantity of chicken and spices over exceeds that of the rice and the resultant is a pretty soggy mixture. The chicken pieces are mellow to the core with the lovely flavour of tomatoes dominating them.

Minced chicken Lasagna: This one was a true winner! A thick layer of cheese again but a warm, melt in the mouth lasagna with thin sheets, finely minced chicken and red sauce. The cheese used is of a superior quality and tastes different.

Both the dishes were served with soft airy breads adorned with herbs which tasted lovely.

A cute looking bakery situated in the bustling Qutab Plaza market, Binge surely has the traits to become your next go to bakery. Enter it at your own risk, because you will be flabbergasted by the grand display of extremely creative looking cakes, a slew of breads – white, brown and multi grain and eye pleasing desserts. The wooden interiors with some classy paraphernalia adorning the walls will definitely take your breathe away.

On my recent throng to this place, here are a few dishes that I tasted:

Veggie salad: Such freshness with the goodness of the lime vinaigrette dressing is absolutely out of the world. Slightly blanched and crunchy vegetables – cauliflower, sweet corn, broccoli, bell peppers, French beans and black olives on a bed of lettuce leaves with the tanginess of dressing – healthy and yummy. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Vegetable Lasagna: Having been brought up on heavily cheesy lasagne, this one was a refresher. Thick cheese layer on top which was slightly burnt and chewy with three light layers below sandwiching a good quantity of vegetables drenched in white sauce – can we ask for more? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Blueberry cupcake: A pretty looking dessert with pink frosting on top but not so inviting in taste. The muffin was extremely dry and difficult to bite into and the cream. The only saving grace was the presence of real blueberries inside the cake.

Lemon tart: Not good at all. The tart tasted stale and was not uniform and the lemon pulp was way too tangy.

A quaint little café situated in the by lanes of Satyaniketan, Frenzone should be your go to place if you love the classic British cuisine and are also fascinated by some of the paraphernalia associated with the British pop culture.

The British influence is apparent when you enter the place. Two miniature royal guards dressed in red welcome you into a red door which is surprisingly a phone booth – Tardis from Doctor Who. The walls of the café are adorned with three dimensional plastic figurines of the famous buildings of London.

Moving on to the dishes I tried:

Lemonade: A light and breezy drink which is not overpowering, but it should have been more flavourful.

Fish and chips: The classic British dish re-invented at this café. The fish is firm and fried so well that the crust does not peel out when you cut it. No crumbling as well when you break it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Chicken and coriander dimsums: A dish which could have been the hero of the evening. The combination of minced chicken and coriander is so darn flavourful that you will wonder about not having it before. However, the minced chicken is so dense and stiff that it is an arduous task to even bite into it. Also, the skin is left raw at some of the portions.

Butterfly pasta with chicken in arrabiata sauce: There is a name for these adorable butterfly shaped pasta and these guys should call it one – farfalle. The pasta was cooked al dante and the chicken was ohh-so-delicate and succulent. The white sauce was smooth and had a good consistency with hints of rosemary and garlic. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Baked nachos with chicken: I shall call this dish a nacho lasagne. Because the nachos were arranged in layers with the filling of delectable minced chicken flavoured with herbs and tomatoes and topped with light gooey cheese. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Mogambo is the same fine dine restaurant which refused to admit a lady with her driver. Though I do not wish to go into commenting about the infamously famous incident, I would love to write about my gastronomic experience there.

Situated at the famed Park Street, Kolkata, this is one of the best fine dine eatery in Kolkata. The personnel are polished and know their cuisines well. The ambience is opulent and seating comfortable, with light music complementing the relaxed feel of the place. The menu has a host of authentic and novel dishes and the prices are not sky high, unlike Delhi.

Let us not brag about this place so much, before we move on to the dishes I binged on:

Russian Salad: This has to be the ideal salad that I have tasted. Consisting of lightly boiled vegetables, having subtle creamy texture and tasting sweet and a bit a sour, this was authenticated by my Russian friend. The finely chopped peas and potatoes amalgamated well with the fine juliennes of cucumber and carrots. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Fish steak: Bengalis are the masters of fish based dishes and this steak was no different. The basa was grilled to perfection, tasted light, was not disintegrating and was served with crispy fried potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. The steak was stuffed with boiled potatoes and topped with light creamy mushroom sauce, thus amping up the taste. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Chicken Firdausi kebab: Where shall I even begin? A very unusual kebab – chicken roundels stuffed with minced chicken which tasted tangy because of yoghurt. The minced chicken taste fine. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Fried fish: Crumb fried bhetki fish in its crispy glory served with light fried potato wedges, coleslaw and mustard dip is perfect for those evenings meant for gorging on fresh catch. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Mutton Lasagna: More than the ones served at Big Chill, Smoke House or Café Deli Heights, this dish is worth all those extra calories. Just one bite is enough to go into a food coma. The minced mutton is fresh, the white sauce is creamy but not cheesy – light and the fresh flavour of baked tomatoes in the lasagna is overwhelming. This lasagna won’t over fill your belly and that is why it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.